Incandescent-lamp socket.



PATENTED JAN. 24, 1905.

H. E. MEYERS. INGANDESGENT LAMP SOCKET. APPLICATION FILED DEO.11, 1902.RENEWED JUNE 20, 1904.

ll'nlll'll III/I UNITED STATES Patented January 24, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY EDWARD UEYERS, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRICFLASII LIGHT COMPANY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

INCANDESCENT-LAMP SOCKET- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 780,678, dated January 24, 1905.

Application filed December 11, 1902. Renewed June 20, 1904. $erial No.213,414.

1'0 117/ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1', HENRY EDWARD MEY- nus, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inIncandescent-Lamp Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to incandescent lamps; and my object is to producea lamp-socket adaptable for use in connection with any of the standardmakes of globes and sockets and containing at least two outgoing and onereturn connection and means for ai'itomatically causing the current topass through the outgoing connections alternately, and thus tlash lightfirst from one set of lamps and then from another where lamps of theordinary type are employed or from one set of lilaments or the otherwhere are employed one set of pluralfilament globes of the typedescribed in my application for patent on incandescent-light globespending concurrently with this, said globes consisting of twodifferently-colored shells, one within the other and each having itsfilament connected to an independent outgoing and to a common returnconnection, to the end that lights of different colors may be flashedfrom the same globe. A socket of this character may be directly orindirectly connected to an ordinary socket and one of my improved globesabove referred to. here used with ordinary globes, it may be connecteddirectly to an ordinary socket; but its outgoing connections mustconnect with filaments of different lamps.

By means of my improved socket lights of different color may be flashedin a sign as reliably as by the commonly-used motor-switch without thenoise attending the operation of the latter. Furthermore, such socketcan be manufactured and sold far cheaper than said motors and when usedwith my bicolor globes will displace an equal number of lamps of theordinary type.

The uses to which this socket can be put with greater economy andconvenience than two or more independent lamps of difierent colors areso numerous that it is inconvenient and undesirable to attempt toenumerate them herein. It is to be understood, of course, that I reservethe right to make all changes which properly fall within the spirit andscope of this invention.

With the object in view of producinga lampsocket of the character aboveoutlined the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar featuresof construction and organization, as hereinafter described and claimed,and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had tothe accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a centrallongitudinal section of an incandescent-lamp socket embodying myinvention and showing it equipped directly with one of my bicolorglobes. Fig. 2 is a similar but enlarged section of a part of thedevice. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line lllIll of Fig. 1. Fig. is a similar view taken on the line TV TV of Fig. 1.Fig. 5 is a view, on the same scale, taken on the line V V of Fig. 1. 6is an elevation of part of the spool to show the spiral groove therein.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 d esignates a porcelain orequivalent block having one end reduced in diameter to form a plug 2,equipped with a threaded metallic sleeve 3 and a contact-plate L, thecontact portions 3 at of this plug being modified to adapt it to anyparticular make of incandescent-lamp socket, though it is to beunderstood that it may be otherwise connected to a source of electricsupply. The block is formed with a central chamber, as at 5, which iscontracted at one end to form the smaller passage 6 of the plug andenlarged and internally threaded at its opposite end, as at 7,-in orderthat an incandescent-lamp globe of a type hereinafter described may besecured therein. Where my improved socket is not connected to alampglobe of the type just referred to, there is no necessity forinternally threading block 1, as lamps of the ordinary type are notadapted to be applied directly tothat is, screwed intothis socket. Assaid connection, however, would be simply three electric conductors, twooutgoing and one return, between the socket and two lamps or two sets oflamps, it is not deemed necessary to disclose ithercin. The socket endsof the outgoing conductors correspond to the ring8 and contact-plate 9of the globe 10, while the socket end of the return-conductorcorresponds to the threaded sleeve 11 of such globe, said ring, plate,and threaded sleeve being insulated from each other by the usualinsulatory disk 12 and cement lining 13fof the sleeve, said liningengaging the stem portion 14 of the globe. Said globe consists of theouter shell 15, preferably of clear or crystal glass, and the innershell 16 of colored glass, the former having a filament 17 and thelatter a filament 18. The outgoing ends of said filaments 17 18 are respcctively connected to ring 8 and contactplate 9, while their returnends are connected by conductors 19 to the threaded sleeve 11.

An automatic switch mechanism for alternately throwing ring 8 or itsequivalent and plate 9 or its equivalent in circuit, so as to flashlight from filament 17 and then from filament 18 or from one series ofordinary lamps and then from another, is constructed as follows:

20 21 designate the usual insulatory ends of an electromagnet-spool, thecentral portion of the same being in the form of a hollow core 22,having its lower end by preference closed and projecting below the planeof the spool end 20 and its upper end projecting above the ends 21 andriveted or otherwise suitably secured to a metallic disk 23, said diskbeing notched at one edge to receive an insulating-strip 24 and acontact-plate 25, the latter being adapted to be secured to the block bymeans of screws or pins 26.

Pivoted, as at 27, to disk 23 is a switch-lever 28, the inner end ofsaid lever carrying pivotally a pin 29, which projects up through saidplate for a purpose which hereinafter appears, and its outer end aninsulatory shoe for a purpose which is presently explained.

The inner end of the switch-lever engages the upper end of a slot 31 inhollow core 22, said slot extending downwardly and spirally half-wayround said rod and for about half its length, as shown most clearly inFig. 6.

Depending from contact-plate 25 and adapt ed for the dual purpose ofelectric connection vwith the switch-lever 28 and to hold the insulatedend of the same elevated when opposed only by gravitative tendency isthe usual spring-fork 32, and depending from said plate outward of thelever is a spring contact-arm 33.

34 designates a contact-arm pivoted to a metallic plate 35, secured tospool end 21, and projecting up through a notch 36 in said end andbetween the insulated end of the lever and contact-arm 33 and adapted attimes to be forced by the former intocontact with the latter.

The coil 37 of the spool is electrically connected at one end to plateand at its oppo- 'site end to the metallic ring, preferably aspring-ring 38, secured to the under side of spool end 20 and adaptedfor electric connection with one of the outgoing conductors,hereinbefore referred to, in this instance with ring 8, the threadedsleeve of return-conductor 11 being electrically connected by preferenceto a spring or equivalent contactv 39, secured in the block, so as tohave positive connection with said sleeve and in turn connected by rod40 to the extension 41 of threaded sleeve 3 or its equivalent.

The hollow and spirally-slotted spool-core 22 is normally in contactwith the other outgoing conductor-viz., in this instance withcontact-plate 9, as shown and arranged within said core is an expansivecoil-spring 42, the same being adapted when unopposed to hold thecylindrical armature 43 of said core in the position shown in Fig. 1,said armature haw ing a head 44 at its upper end and a pin 45 near itslower end engagingthe spiral slot and adapted as it reaches its upwardlimit of movement to raise the inner end of the lever,

and thereby break the electrical connection between its outer end andspring-fork 32 and force pivoted arm 34 into contact with springarm 33.The same action causes the lever to engage a spring-fork 46, dependingfrom disk 23, for the purpose of holding the inner end of the leverelevated. After the armature has started to descend such relationbetween arms 33 and 34: continues until the armature about completes itsdownward movement, at which time its head 44 engages pin 29, and therebycauses the lever to resume its original position, as shown in Fig. 2.

The upward movement of this armature is caused by spring 42 when thecircuit through the coil is broken by the disengagement of arms 33 and34, the former through plate 25 being electrically connected to plate 4by means of the conductor 47. The upper end of said conductor 47 ispreferably threaded, so that contact-plate 4, in the form of a nut, mayclamp it reliably in position.

Assuming now that the spring has just ele vated the armature to itslimit of movement and that in consequence pin 45 has by raising theinner end of the lever 46 established electric communication betweenarms 33 and 34, it will be seen that the current flows out through plate4, conductor 47, plate 25, arms 33 34, and .the coil which is energized,from the coil through ring 38, conductor or ring 8, and the outerfilament 17, thence through return-conductor 19, sleeve 11, contact-arm39, and conductors 40 41, and sleeve 3. The instant this circuit isestablished light is emitted by filament 17 and the magnetic influenceof the coil overcomes the resistance of spring 42 and draws the armaturedownward in the core. As such downward movement is about completed theplunger-head descending on rod 29 forces the inner end of lever 28downward, and thereby shunts the current from the coil, the springtendency of arm 33, together with the gravitative tendency of arm 34,effecting reliable disengagement thereof as soon as the outer end of thelever is raised.

In the new position of the lever the current passes from plate 25through fork 32 and the lever to core 22, thence through the outgoingconductor or plate 9 to the filament of the inner shell, returning fromthe latter through the common return-conductor hercinbefore enumerated.

At the instant the coil is shunted out of circuit itsmagnetic force ispractically all destroyed, and as a result spring 42 reelevates thearmature, the pin on the latter as it reaches such limit of actioncausing the circuit to pass through the coil, as hcreinbefore explained.

It will thus be seen that this switch mechanism is automatic in itsaction and that by it light can be alternately flashed through differentfilaments of the same lamp or through filaments of different lamps. Itwill also be apparent that there is but little liability of themechanism getting out of order and that the entire mechanism can beeasily and quickly placed in or removed from the block 1.

.The slot 31 is shown as of the spiral type in order to restrain theaction of the plunger sufliciently to hold the light in each filamentmomentarily, though it is obvious that without departing from theinvention a straight slot may be used, if desired. it will also beapparent that while I have-illustrated and described the preferredembodiment of the invention numerous changes of detail construction andorganization might be made that obvious mechanical equivalents could beemployed.

Having thus described the invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is I 1. The combination of a pair of outgoingconductors and a common return-conductor for an electric current, anautomatic switch mechanism for alternately making and breaking thecircuit through said outgoing conductors,and a two filament globe,havingthe outgoing end of one of its filaments connected to one of the saidoutgoing conductors, and the corresponding end of the other filament tothe other outgoing conductor, and their opposite ends to saidreturn-conductor.

2. The combination of a pair of outgoing conductors and a commonreturn-conductor for an electric current, an automatic switch mechanismfor alternately making and break ing the circuit through said outgoingconductors, and a globe consisting of an inner and an outer shell ofdifferent colors and equipped with filaments having their return endsconnected to said return-conductor and their outgoing ends to differentoutgoing conductors.

3. The combination of a pair of outgoing conductors and a commonreturn-conductor for an electric current, one of said outgoingconductors being the coil of an electromag net; the armature for saidmagnet; instrumentalities actuated by the moving armature to pass thecurrent through the coil or the other outgoing conductor, and anincandescent globe having two independent filaments, having their returnends connected to the return-conductor, and the outgoing end of' one ofthem connected to the coil, and the corresponding end of the otherconnected .to the other outgoing conductor.

4. The combination of a pair of outgoing conductors and a commonreturn-conductor for an electric current, one of said outgoingconductors being the coil of an electromagnet; the armature of saidmagnet; instrumentalities actuated by the moving armature.

to pass the current through the coil or the other outgoing conductor;and an incandescent-lamp globe, consisting of' an outer and an innershell of different colors, and each equipped with a filament having thereturn end connected to the return-conductor; the outgoing ends of thefilaments being connected to different outgoing conductors.

5. The combination of a pair of outgoing conductors and a commonreturn-conductor for an electric current, one of said conductors beingthe coil of an electromagnet; the armature of said magnet; and a leveradapted by one movement of the armature to shunt tee current out of thecoil and into the other outgoing conductor, and by the other movement ofthe armature to break the circuit through said other outgoing conductorand re establish it through the coil.

6. The combination of a pair of outgoing of the armature to break thecircuit through said other outgoing conductor and reestablish it throughthe coil; and means "for holding said lever in either position ofadjustment until moved by positive pressure applied by the armature.

7. The combination of a pair of outgoing conductors and a commonreturn-conductor for an electric current, one of said conductors beingthe coil of an electromagnet, and the other the hollow core of saidcoil; the armature of said magnet to operate in said core; a spring tohold the armature normally with drawn from said core as far as possible;lateral projections at or near the upper and lower ends of the armature;and a lever in electric contact with the core and adapted by pressure ofthe lower projection on the arma- IIO turc to establish the circuitthrough the coil, and through the engagement of the upper projection ofthe armature to shunt the current out of said coil and through saidcore.

8. The combination of'a pair of outgoing conductors and a commonreturn-conductor for an electric current, one of said conductors beingthe coil of an electromagnet, and the other the hollow core of saidcoil; the armature of said magnet to operate in said core; a spring tohold the armature normally withdrawn from said core as far as possible;lateral projections at or near the upper and lower ends of the armature;a lever in electric contact with the core and adapted by pressure of thelower projection on the armature to establish the circuit through thecoil, and through the engagement of the upper projection of the armatureto shunt the current out of said coil and through said core; and meansto hold the lever in either position of adjustment against accidentalmovement.

9. A non-conducting block having an outgoing and a return conductor atits upper .end, an electromagnet within said block and having its corehollow and slotted and projecting above the magnet and equipped with aplate,

a lever fulcrumed upon said plate and having one end in said slot, aplate electrically connected to theoutgoing conductor at the upper endof the block, a contact-arm to be moved by but insulated from said leverand electrically connected to the magnet-coil, a plate connected to theopposite end of said coil, outgoing conductors connected to thelast-named plate and the core of the magnet, a return-conductorelectrically connected to the return-conductor at the upper end of theblock, the armature fitting slidingly in the core and provided with apin engaging its slot to cause the lever to establish electric contactbetween said movable arm and said contactplate, and a head to reversethe position of the lever and break the circuit through the coil andestablish it from said contact-plate through the lever to the core, anda spring

